E.—lb

11

Second Prize—Lady's Work-box. Requirements Making a man's night-shirt and cutting out a child's pinafore.

Third Prize —A Lady's-Companion. Requirement Darning a pair of old and well-worn stockings or socks.

Harriett Ormond, \ Hakriette J Eussell, [Examiners. Emily Hill, j

WELLINGTON g m _ Wellington, 20th February, 1884. I have the honour to present my tenth annual report on the working condition of the primary schools in the Wellington District, being the report for the calendar year 1883. Introduction.—At the close of the first decade of inspection of schools in this district, I have found it necessary to make a few changes in the work of examination. My reports have hitherto included schools examined before the end of March, but, without any further change in the times at which the several schools are examined, I think it will be best to make the examination year close with the calendar year I shall not therefore, on this occasion, report upon eleven country and five rural schools ordinarily examined in March, except so far as to include their results, obtained last March, in this year's returns. Again, I should point out that, for years past, I have been gradually raising standard work, so as to make a programme which will fully meet State requirements. I think this programme is now fairly covered, but the extra tension produced by my last effort to bring up the work has caused a decrease in the percentage of results. The highest percentage made this year by any laro-e school is fully 5 per cent, lower than the highest percentage made last year, although I have no reason to believe the work is in any respects inferior The difficulty this year has arisen by a demand of three sums worked correctly out of five, instead of three out of six, as in former years, by adding spelling to dictation in the Second Standard ■by requiring composition in other forms and word-knowledge with grammar in the Third Standard , and by an increase in the difficulty of the arithmetic in the Fifth Standard. Also, in order to make my new departure next year as satisfactory as possible., I have, during the past year altered the times for the examination of some schools, and this again has afforded these schools a shorter year in which to prepare for the late examination. Under these circumstances, I must ask the Board to look upon my report this year as an exceptional one, for in many cases, it would be manifestly unfair to compare results m one school with those in another General Besults.—The number on the books this year is 7,050, as compared with 6,602 last year The increase of 448 is larger than usual of late years, and is partly attributable to many of the larger schools being examined at a more favourable time of the year With the increase of 448 on the books, there is only an increase of 104 over eight years of age, showing that the increase is mostly of the infant class. But this year 185 more children have been presented for standards. It is also satisfactory to notice that, notwithstanding the increase of 104 children of standard age, there are now only 638 who are unpresentable in standards, as compared with 719 last year These 638 children consist, for the most part, of those of good age who have attended so badly that no teacher could be expected to pass them. I hope to see the number unpresentable decrease year by

G CD 5 3 3° O fcb 'A cD o 3 2 pq.4 sb a 3 o oa OX) 1 Total. Eemarks. Name. Age. School. Marks obtainable 20 20 20 15 10 15 100 1 2 Mary Baker Maud Wilson 14 16 Gisborne Gisborne 20 20 20 20 20 20 16 15 10 10 15 15 100 100 Prize. Too old. Debarred from com. petition. Special prize by Mrs. Ormond for excellence. Highly commended. Commended. Commended. Very good. | Very good. 3 Elizabeth Rymer 14 Puketapu 20 20 19 15 10 15 99 4 5 fi 7 8 9 Ella Rymer Emily Greenwood Felicia Dowling H. Agnes Caulton Ellen Palmer 13 13 14 Puketapu Hastings Clive 20 19 17 20 19 20 19 19 20 18 18 15 19 19 18 15 16 16 15 14 14 12 12 18 10 10 10 10 9 9 15 14 13 14 18 13 98 95 92 89 87 86 13 13 Hastings Waipukurau

a 'A Name. Age. School. ."3 S 2 j s as o . 1 Ztl & j & 1 Remarks. 1 2 Lottie Naylor Annie Hall 12 12 Meanee Gisborne 95 95 100 j Prize. „ I Highly commended. Special awarded by Mrs. Locke. „ Commended. „ Commended. prize 3 4 Julia De Costa. Annie Hardy 13 Gisborne Hampden 90 70